H2W Delivers Four Double-Digit Winners; Sun Stakes Sizzle And Fizzle

The July 4 Sun Stakes Saturday at Pocono put to rest most suspicions, including our own, that Wiggle It Jiggleit was learning to be short since he was challenged and lost. His Max Hempt Final victory was stupendous. Brushing to the top he fired to three-quarters in 1:20.3 (we share fractions since they are all products of the winner on the lead) and then drew off when challenged by our second choice, Artspeak ($3.00, $2.60), and finished in 1:48.2. Our choice, Lost For Words (6-1), was nowhere near as sharp this week as he was in the elim and finished sixth.

In the “Hempt” consolation we took third with Allbeef N Nobull ($5.40).

We were with the crowd in the Sun Invitational, as JL Cruz ($3.60, $2.10, $2.10 ok) barely defeated a game Sebastian K, who was returning to the races and was dangerous, as we suspected he could be in our preview blog.

There were only place-and-show finishes for us from there. In the James Lynch, the filly we went with last week, Bettor Be Steppin, won at 15-1 while our very strong choice, Deli Beach, was simply hideous, with no excuses, at 12-1. She finished last. As we predicted, this was a highly contentious mile, with seven fillies within 2 lengths at the wire (three of them within a neck apart). We were seventh in the consolation with the favorite, of all horses, Southwind Roulette.

In the Ben Franklin we were fifth with Dynamic Youth (9-1) while we were second in the consolation with Dapper Dude ($3.40, $2.20).

The trotters on the Hambletonian Trail blog raced in the Earl Beale Memorial Final. Our top choice, Cruzado Dela Noche (7-1), broke at the start and was eliminated. Second-choice Centurian Atm (8-1) raced well but settled for fourth. In the consolation we took third with Donatomite ($7.60).

All Hambletonian Trail race stories are archived at the Hambletonian Society website.

Friday’s Cleveland Trotting Classic and the Graduate Pacing Final presented us with two thirds: DWs NY Yank ($2.20) in the former and All Bets Off ($3.40) in the latter.
 
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H2W LIST RESULTS

The H2W results list across-the-board prices. Also, exactas listed are included when a H2W horse finishes second with a race favorite or the first two finishers making up the exacta are H2W horses (an asterisk appears when both horses were listed to complete the exacta). The note “ok” determines that prices published are correct even when a show price exceeds a place price or any or all of the prices are the same. This week, there were 48 active horses (a 17-percent win hit rate and a 40-percent in-the-money hit rate).

Please note that some H2W results reflect win, place and/or show results occurring after press time and that it is up to you to follow those horses that have not performed before this weekly review is posted.

Winners

Red Feather, $24.00, $10.80, $6.20, Ocean
Promise We Can, $21.70, $6.90, $4.60, Century
Kimmie Can, $18.00, $5.20, $2.20, Bangor
Handover Belle, $15.00, $5.80, $4.20, Meadowlands
Bettors Choice, $6.80, $3.20, $2.40, Scioto
Karate King, $5.90, $3.50, $3.60 ok, Century
Suncapade, $4.60, $3.00, $3.00 ok, Scioto
Final Say, $4.50, $2.80, $2.40, Century

Seconds

Your Beautiful, $12.20, $7.60 (Exacta $55.20), Scioto
Its Chocolate Time, $7.80, $4.20
Fox Valley Spencer, $7.60, $3.20 (Exacta $11.00), Scarborough
Briefly, $6.00, $3.80, Plainridge
Tune In, $4.20, $3.60, Meadows
Doctor Butch, $2.20, $2.10, Philadelphia

Thirds

Garbo, $4.40, Scioto
Union Dues, $4.30, Charlottetown
My Boss, $4.10, Century
Iron, $3.20, Meadowlands
Cobble Beach, $3.10, Buffalo

News & Notes

The Meadowlands has announced that the Merrie Annabelle for two-year-old trotting fillies will be renamed the Jim Doherty Memorial. The late Doherty drove his first winner in 1959 and excelled on the New England circuit through the 1970s. That’s where his talents caught the eye of Joe DeFrank when the racing secretary was assembling the horsemen to launch the inaugural Meadowlands meet in 1976. Doherty became a part of the new venue, which led to his operating a large and powerful stable for decades. The inaugural Merrie Annabelle was raced in 1977 for a purse of just $30,000. It quickly became a landmark race for freshmen and by 1985 the purse was $627,250. Past winners include Peace Corps, CR Kay Suzie, Check Me Out, Shake It Cerry and Mission Brief

Friday, July 3 at the Meadowlands, Mission Brief, sporting trotting hopples, took to the track and trotted a flat mile in 1:54.3. The top-rated femme, who is a possible candidate to race against the boys in this year’s Hambletonian, has had a lot of problems with her stride.

This is the season to watch the youngsters doing well and making note of their sires productivity. Hot sires at the beginning of the frosh season can lead to big profits. Baby races at the Meadowlands were good to a few sires, old and new. Credit Winner filly Hustle Heart won on July 3. Her mare is Hambo Oaks winner Creamy Mimi. Donato Hanover filly Side Bet Hanover won for trainer Jonas Czernyson. She closed well to be fourth in her initial outing last week. The $240,000 Lexington Select Yearling Sale colt Winter Harbor was a winner for sire Muscle Hill. Promise Delivered impressed with speed and maneuverability as driver Tim Tetrick had to change course abruptly to avoid a breaker on the last turn. The colt continued to win. He’s a Muscle Hill or trainer Staffan Lind.

The pacers began with filly A List Hanover winning for productive frosh sire Somebeachsomewhere. Vintage Master filly Vintage Babe led all the way to win. Settlemoir, a pacing colt by Western Ideal. Took a mile. Dr J Hanover was a winner for trainer Tony Alagna. The colt is by Somebeachsomewhere. Cruise Patrol, a Bettors Delight colt trained by Jimmy Takter won and then Takter collected another win with Badstormanyport, a Somebeachsomewhere colt

Top sires of two-year-old pacers by average earnings this week include, in order, Roll With Joe, Rockin Image, Dali, Shadyshark Hanover and Rock N Roll Heaven. The top-five trotting sires of frosh starters by average earnings are, in order, Here Comes Herbie, Justice Hall, Mr Cantab, Yankee Glide and Expolosive Matter.

Extraordinary Extras

Indulge in many standardbred topics at my Hoof Beats blog titled Vast Performances.

Ray Cotolo contributed to this blog

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